Letter: Beware of mountain lion on the prowl in Clarkdale

I live next to the Park in upper Clarkdale. At 1 am I took our puppy out to go potty in our front yard.

Our front yard is extremely well lit. We have a street light right next to our yard and bright porch and walk way lights. The lights did not deter the mountain lion.

When our puppy was done, she stopped and looked towards the pitch black of our neighbors side yard and twitched her nose. I looked and did not see any thing. I turned my back and took two steps on my porch. I heard something rushing across the neighbors gravel yard, leap our block wall and land heavily in our yard. I knew what it was before I turned around because someone had recently told me they saw a mountain lion right in front of my house, one street over and by the bus barn at Clarkdale-Jerome School.

It was fast, agile and big. I stomped my feet on the porch, yelled and waived my arms above my head. The lion skidded to a stop, turned and ran away. It was with in ten feet of us and would have attacked me if I had not turned around.

We were extremely lucky. It was watching us silently from the dark for about 10 minutes waiting for me to turn my back. The next door neighbors and ones across the alley both have big dogs and that did not deter the mountain lion.

About the same time the night before I heard something big moving in the back and thought it was a javalina.

The night before that about the same time our puppy looked in that direction and made a mean growl.

She never growls at anything. Not people, cats or other dogs. I looked and saw nothing. Now, I think it was the mountain lion both times.

It knew when we would be out and was waiting for us. I reported it to Clarkdale Police and called Fish and Game. Fish and Game has not called me back.

In years past, I saw a mountain lion by the Clarkdale Post Office and the Fire Station in Upper town. They are around. Do not take sightings lightly. Keep your pets inside after dark. Be vigilant walking before sun rise. Call the Police and Fish and Game.

Dogs and cats have gone missing in Clarkdale and something big has been getting in the trash bins at the train depot.

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